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Top 10 AR-15 Reviews Of All Time

The AR-15 is one of the most popular and versatile semi-automatic rifles
on the market and here are 10 Ar-15 reviews that prove it.

#1 Ar-15 Review: Lewis Machine & Tool SLK8

Lewis Machine & Tool (LMT) took the conventional AR and made it even better when it created a monolithic upper (and received the patent) that manufactures the upper receiver and forend into one solid part. Then, it built a quick-change barrel system that allows us to swap calibers by removing two large screws.

#2 AR-15 Review: Salient Arms International Tier 1 AR-15

Salient Arms does not fall into that category. The Tier 1 rifle I tested is easily the most unique and custom AR I’ve ever handled. I’ve never seen an AR where so many surfaces and components have been touched or massaged to improve the classic Stoner design. The only stock parts I found on the rifle were the forward assist, receiver extension assembly and takedown pins.

#3 AR-15 Review: Diamondback DB-15

I spent an afternoon with the DB-15 pistol, my first ever with an AR-style pistol. For the benefit of other first-time AR-style pistol shooters, I discovered that I had the most success shooting the pistol with my support hand on the forend and my firing hand on the pistol grip. I also tried both hands on the pistol grip, but I found that my accuracy and comfort diminished using this technique. The DB-15 pistol comes with a short, 7½-inch barrel and a pistol-length gas system. Read review

#4 AR-15 Review: Rock River Arms X-Series

Rock River Arms has been in the AR business since 1996, which makes it ancient in the AR world. Back when Mark and Chuck Larson were building ARs in a small building on the banks of the Rock River in central Illinois, only a handful of companies produced ARs, unlike today. In the years since, they landed numerous LE contracts (including the DEA) and have acquired a strong following of loyal customers. Read review

#5 AR-15 Review: LWRC M6-IC-SPR

The M6-IC-SPR should be an appropriate name describing the next generation of the LWRC wonder guns. The “M6” indicates that the model is based on the company’s equivalent to the U.S. military’s SOPMOD M4. Fundamentally, this rifle is a standard carbine available in various barrel lengths. Although M6s have been chambered in either 5.56 NATO or 6.8 SPC, this one is only available in 5.56 NATO — for now. Read review

#6 AR-15 Review: Core-15 Tac III Rifle

The AR-15 was, to a great extent, designed to be manufactured as a precision-machined industrial product. Many of the parts in it are simple industrial fasteners, and even the big parts were designed with the idea of modern industrial processes. That is why we see firms making ARs that are not traditional firearms makers, but instead have a background of precision manufacture. Core 15 machines uppers and lowers from forgings in-house. Read review

#7 AR-15 Review: Special Ops Tactical Hanson 14.5

I opted for the Special Ops Tactical (SOT) 141⁄2-inch Hanson Shoulderless Profile. That’s a mouthful. It has a 141⁄2-inch stainless steel barrel with a permanently attached YHM Phantom flash hider, bringing total length to 16 inches. Man, that’s long. More on the barrel later. Support hand and accessories reside on a 12.6-inch free-floated rail, of SOT’s design. The flattop upper receiver sits on a Mil-Spec lower and is machined from 7075-T6 aluminum. Read review

#8 AR-15 Review: .223 vs 5.56: What’s the Problem?

Ammo is not ammo. And when doing a .223 vs 5.56 comparison, while the loads are almost identical, they are not the same. To know why, we have to go back to the beginning. The early 1960s were an interesting time. The returning GIs from WWII and Korea had a decade to get things the way they liked. Two tastes they acquired during that time were varmint shooting and benchrest.Varmint shooting was simple. Read review

#9 AR-15 Review: Rock River Arms LAR-8 Elite Operator

The first thing you notice upon assembly is that you have a stout yet maneuverable rifle in your hands. True it is heavier than a .223 version, but it is well balanced and easy to handle. Adjust the buttstock to your liking and the rifle comes up naturally and easily. An especially nice touch is the “half-quad” handguard. Sure, when you say “half-quad” you might think of just two rails, but don’t worry, it has all four that run half the length of the handguard; from the gas block back. Read review

#10 AR-15 Review: 6 Facts About AR-15 Gas Impingement Vs. Piston

Now, here’s the good news. The unmatched modularity of the AR allows you to, in a way, have your cake and eat it, too. As someone who tests and reviews guns for a variety of firearms periodicals, I’ve had the opportunity to test versions of both the gas impingement and piston-driven ARs. Here are my factual discoveries. Read review